Daily Religious Observances
Engaged in structured prayer, hymns, and scripture reading daily. Included reciting the Divine Office, singing the Salve Regina, and opening letters with religious invocations.
Meticulous Journaling
Documented daily navigation details, weather, and interactions with indigenous peoples. Maintained precise records of distances sailed and geographic observations.
Dual Log Maintenance
Kept two separate logs: one with true distances for personal use and another with reduced figures to prevent crew panic.
Strategic Napping
Took short daytime rests to manage fatigue during long voyages. Prioritized sleep to maintain decision-making clarity.
Astronomical Predictions
Used celestial charts to predict events like lunar eclipses. Leveraged astronomical knowledge to assert authority.
Forced Labor Implementation
Enslaved indigenous populations to mine gold and build settlements. Instituted quotas enforced by violence.
Hostage Taking
Captured indigenous leaders and individuals to ensure compliance. Used hostages as translators or bargaining tools.
Renaming Territories
Assigned Spanish names to geographic features and settlements. Erased indigenous toponyms to assert ownership.
Divine Providence Attribution
Framed successes as God’s will and setbacks as spiritual tests. Frequently cited biblical parallels in journals.
Regular Supply Inspections
Personally verified ship provisions and equipment condition. Prioritized maintenance to prevent mid-voyage failures.
Sample Collection
Gathered plants, animals, and gold to present as evidence of discoveries. Curated tangible proof of new territories.
Encomienda System Use
Assigned indigenous labor to colonists for resource extraction. Institutionalized exploitation under the guise of protection.
Distance Misdirection
Deliberately underreported daily sailing distances to crew. Maintained optimism about proximity to destinations.
Title Adoption
Insisted on using honorifics like 'Admiral of the Ocean Sea.' Reinforced authority through formal nomenclature.
Nepotistic Governance
Appointed family members as governors in colonized territories. Prioritized loyalty over merit in administrative roles.
Violent Subjugation
Deployed attack dogs and mutilation to suppress resistance. Used extreme force to instill fear.
Gold Quota Enforcement
Imposed strict gold collection targets on indigenous populations. Punished failures with dismemberment or death.
Cultural Assimilation Efforts
Imposed European clothing and Christian practices on natives. Suppressed indigenous traditions systematically.
Ruthless Resource Extraction
Prioritized gold mining over sustainable land use. Exhausted local ecosystems for short-term gain.
Rapid Colonization
Built forts and settlements immediately after landfall. Established physical markers of Spanish presence.